Picture support

ABSTRACT

A picture support for mounting on the rear of a picture adapted to space the picture from a conventional picture display surface includes a shell formed from a front panel for frictionally engaging the display surface, a pair of opposed side panels connected to opposite edges of the front panel and extending toward the picture and means for engaging the rear of the picture for fastening the shell to the picture. The front panel has at least one transverse flap mounted to pivot inwardly of the shell to stabilize the shell.

llnited States Patent [191 lfiulicke [4 Jan. 8, 1974 PICTURE SUPPORT 1,056,183 3/1913 Kislovitz 248/459 n ent ar ara u c e, 3 ast 0t St. 1,896,677 2/1933 Myers 211/73 New York 10003 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier [22] Filed: Sept. 2, 1971 Assistant Examiner-Rodney H. Bonck pp NO-z 177,258 Attorney-David S. Kane et al.

. [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 248/496, 248/174, 248/467 [51] Int Cl A47g 1/17 A plcture support for mounting on the realof a PIC [58] Field of Search 248/496, 489, 477, g 3 3 f a ffi i g 248/495, 475 R, 475 A, 459, 470, 174, 450, Plcture ay 1 89 u e mm a front panel for fr1ct1onal1y engaging the display sur- 467, 498, 211/72, 73

' face, a pair of opposed side panels connected to oppo- [561 35213321322222: 2232;412:5252?$321342: UNITED STATES PATENTS for fastening the shell to the picture. The front panel 2,530,892 11/1950 Mayo 248/498 has at least one transverse flap mounted to,pivot in- 3,416,765 12/1968 Ebner 248/467 Wardly of the shell to Stabilize h Shell. 2,238,415 4/1941 Farr ct al 248/459 2,652,647 9/1953 Suciu 248/459 1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAM 8 I913 SHEET 2 or 3 PICTURE SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a support for spacing works of art away from a display surface.

The art world has long recognized the advantages of mounting works of art, particularly pictures, on a supporting surface spaced away from the display wall. Works of art so hung, with or without frames, provide a pleasing, free-floating appearance. For convenience, the following discussion is directed to a picture support.

In order to be commercially acceptable, a picture support adapted to be affixed to the back of a picture for spacing the picture away from a display surface, must provide certain features. The picture support should be inexpensive in order to facilitate mass pro duction techniques and make the support available to the art world in general. For storage purposes, it is highly desirable that the picture support be foldable.

Further, the support should be collapsible even in the erect state and affixed to the back of a picture. This feature facilitates removing the picture from the display surface and storing the picture in a vertical or horizontal stack with other pictures.

In order to permit a picture to be adjusted to a precise hanging position it is desirable that the picture support provide a substantial amount of frictional contact with display surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide an inexpensive support adapted to be mounted to the rear of a work of art for spacing the work of art away from a display surface.

It is another object of the invention to provide a picture support providing a substantial amount of frictional contact with the display surface for maintaining a precise hanging position.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a collapsible picture support adapted to be affixed to the back of a picture and thereafter erected in a picture supporting position for mounting on a display surface.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a collapsible picture support which, after mounting on a display surface, can be removed from such surface and collapsed against the rear of a picture for storage purposes.

The above and other objects are met by a support for mounting on the rear of a work of art adapted to space said work from a conventional art work display surface comprising in an erected condition a shell formed from a front panel for frictionally engaging said display surface, a pair of opposed side panels connected to opposite edges of said front panel extending toward said work, and means for engaging the rear of said work connected to said side panels for fastening said shell to said work; said front panel having at least one transverse flap mounted to pivot inwardly of said shell to stabilize said shell.

The front panel for engaging the display surface provides substantial frictional contact with the surface for obtaining a precise hanging position for the work of art. The support is internally stabilized by means of a flap which folds inwardly of the support against the work of art to stabilize the support against lateral movement during adjusting of the work.

A collapsible picture support is also provided for mounting on the rear of a picture. The support is adapted to space the picture from a conventional picture display surface. In its erected state the collapsible picture support includes a shell formed from a front panel for frictionally engaging the display surface, a pair of opposed side panels, each side panel connected at one edge to an opposite edge of said front panel by a fold line adapted to make a right angle fold with said front panel in the direction of said picture, and a pair of rear panels, each rear panel connected at one edge to the other edge of one of said side panels by a right angle reverse fold line such that rear panels extend toward one another. The front panel has at least one transverse flap connected to the face of the front panel by a right angle fold line extending inwardly of said shell, said flap in frictional engagement with at least one of said rear panels.

A hemispherical cutout may be employed on the transverse flap to provide a finger grasping means for moving the transverse flap. A cutout portion may also be provided on the front panel for engaging a protruding nail or the like from the picture display surface. To assist in affixing the picture support to the rear of the picture a pair of longitudinally spaced cut outs are provided on one of the opposed side panels. These cut outs permit a fastener to be affixed to a rear panel connected to the side panel, said rear panel being folded inwardly of said side panel, while said picture support is in the collapsed state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are illustrative of a somwhat preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 illustrates an unfolded blank of a picture support of the invention showing the various lines of fold;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the picture support of FIG. 1 in an erected state, affixed to the rear of an art work;

FIG. 3 illustrates an unfolded blank of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a collapsed form of the second embodiment of the invention affixed to the back of a picture illustrating, by way of phantom lines, the position of the reverse folded rear panel with respect to the front panel;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the picture support taken along line S5 of FIG. 4.;

FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of the picture support taken along line 65 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the picture support illustrated in FIG. 4 in its erected state, illustrating, by means of phantom lines, the position of the rear panels with respect to the front panel;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the erected picture support taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7, illustrating the interengagement of the front transverse panels with the rear panels; and

FIG. 9 is a top sectional view of erected picture support taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although the support of the present invention may be employed to space various works of art from conventional art work display surfaces, for illustrative purposes the following discussion will be directed toward a collapsible picture support. Among the other works of art which can be spaced from a display wall by the present invention are included collages, sculpture and the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the picture support is formed from blank or shell 10. The shell includes front panel 12 which is adapted to frictionally engage a conventional picture display surface such as a wall. First and second side panels l4, 14 are connected to opposite side edges of the front panel by means of fold lines 16, 16.

In order to provide a mounting surface against the rear of the picture for the picture support, a pair of rear panels 18, 18' are connected, respectively, to the side edge of the side panels by means of fold lines 20, 20.

In order to stabilize the picture support against lateral forces, front flap or tab 22 is provided. The flap is connected to the front panel by means of transverse fold line 24. Flap 22 is adapted to be folded inwardly, at right angles to the front panel, about transverse fold lines 24. Side panels l4, 14' are adapted to be folded at right angles inwardly of front panel 12 via fold lines 16, 16'. Rear panels 18, 18' are adapted to be reversed folded toward each other at right angles from their respective side panels by fold lines 20, 20.

A pair of spaced apart generally rectangular apertures 26, 26' are located on side panel 14' to permit a fastener to be applied to rear panel 18 during mounting of the picture support on the picture. The manner in which the fasteners are to be supplied through the apertures is explained more fully hereinafter in connection with the discussion of the invention as depicted in FIG. 4.

A hemispherical cutout portion 28 is provided in front panel 12 and an opposed hemispherical cutout portion 30 is provided in flap 22. Cutout 28 provides an engaging surface for a protruding nail or hook mounted on a display wall. Flap cutout 30 provides a finger hold for engaging flap 22. The flap may be thusly manipulated through a 90 are from a first position, in alignment with the front panel to a second position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, 90 removed from said first position and, vice versa.

FIG. 2 illustrates the picture support in a fully erect condition affixed to the back of a picture ready for mounting against a wall surface. Rear panels I8, 18 are reversely folded and extend inwardly, toward each other, from spaced apart opposed side panels 14, 14'. A pair of spaced apart mounting studs 32, 32' are located in each rear panel for mounting the picture support on the rear of picture 34. Flap 22 is located in the second position folded at right angles to front panel 12. Leading edge 36 of flap 22 frictionally engages rear panels 18, 18, thus providing lateral support for the picture support.

FIGS. 3-9 are illustrative of another embodiment of the invention. The configuration of the front panel, side panels and rear panels are substantially identical with the configuration as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 3 a pair of opposed front flaps 38, 38 are pivotally connected at their trailing edges to front panel 12 by fold lines 40, 40. The leading edges 42, 42' of the front flaps abut one another and can be pivoted at right angles, inwardly of the picture support, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Each flap is adapted to be gripped by a finger. For this purpose each flap has a centrally spaced hemispherical cutout 44, 44 located on the leading edge 42,

42 of the front flaps. A pair of oppositely disposed saw-tooth cutout portions are provided to engage a nail, hook, or other fastener projecting from a display surface. As illustrated in FIG. 3 a first cutout portion 46 is centrally located on the front panel adjacent the trailing edge of front flap 38'. The saw-tooth cutout interrupts the central portion of flap fold line 40. A mating saw-tooth section is spaced apart from the first sawtoothed section and is located on front flap 38, interrupting fold line 40.

Turning to FIGS. 4-9, there is illustrated a picture support affixed to the rear surface ofa picture in both a collapsed and expanded state.

Turning to FIG. 4, rear panel 18 of blank 10 is fastened to picture 34 by means of mounting studs 32, 32. The relative positioning of the studs and rear panels is illustrated in FIG. 6. Next, the shell is provided about side fold line 16 and rear panel 18' is reversely bent under side panel 14 about fold line 20. The collapsed picture support is then in the position illustrated in FIGS. 4-6. A second pair of mounting studs 32, 32' are employed to fasten rear panel 18' to the picture. The mounting studs are conveniently passed through apertures 26, 26 for this purpose.

The shell is next pivoted upwardly about its side and rear panel fold lines to achieve the completely erected picture support as depicted in FIGS. 7-9. In order to stabilize the support and to prevent lateral movement about the side and rear fold lines, front flaps 38, 38' are pivotally rotated about fold lines 40, 40' such that the leading edges of the flaps frictionally engage rear panels l8, 18. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the relative positioning of the pivoted front flaps and engagement therewith with the rear panels. Finally, the erected picture support is suspended from a mounting nail or the like (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 8) extending from a display surface.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the previously described embodiments may be provided. For example instead of the generally rectangular shape of the picture support, a shell may be provided having a round or square shape. The rear panels of the support may be affixed to the picture such that they extend outwardly of the picture support rather than inwardly, towards each other. Of course, such outwardly extending rear panels would serve to increase the area necessary to mount the picture support on the rear of the picture. Further the front flaps would then be extended to frictionally engage the picture.

If required for permanent mounting, the front panel can be permanently affixed to the'display surface by a suitable adhesive. In this event, it would not be necessary to employ a circular or saw-tooth cutout portion to accept a mounting protuberance from the display surface.

One or more of the fold lines might be eliminated, thereby reducing or preventing the picture support from being selectively collapsed.

The picture support may be formed from cardboard, fiber board, paper board or other suitable structural material. The invention is not be be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A blank for forming a collapsible picture support adapted to be spaced from a display surface comprismg:

a front panel having a pair of parallel end edges and a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges; said front panel having at least one transverse flap hingedly connected to said front panel along a fold line spaced between and parallel to said end edges;

b. a first side panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to one of said front panel side edges;

. a second side panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to the other of said front panel side edges;

. a first rear panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to the other side edge of said first side panel;

. a second rear panel having a pair of parallel longig. a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures extending through one of said side panels;

h. a first aperture extending through said transverse flap for facilitating grasping said flap and a second aperture located on said front panel for receiving display surface mounting means; and

i. said blank being shiftable between a mounting position and a storage position, wherein in the mounting position the rear panels are substantially parallel to the front panel with the rear panels mounted to a picture and the front panel mounted to a picture support surface with a substantial portion of the front panel in frictional engagement with the support surface to facilitate retention of proper orientation of the mounted picture, the side panels being substantially perpendicular to the front panel and rear panel so as to facilitate proper spacing of the mounted picture from the support surface, the blank being shiftable to the collapsed storage position by moving the hinged side panels and front panel into a position where the side panels are substantially parallel with the rear panels and the front panel is immediately adjacent to the rear panels. 

1. A blank for forming a collapsible picture support adapted to be spaced from a display surface comprising: a. a front panel having a pair of parallel end edges and a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges; said front panel having at least one transverse flap hingedly connected to said front panel along a fold line spaced between and parallel to said end edges; b. a first side panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to one of said front panel side edges; c. a second side panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to the other of said front panel side edges; d. a first rear panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to the other side edge of said first side panel; e. a second rear panel having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, wherein a first side edge is hingedly connected to the other side edge of said second side panel; f. the rear panels being engagable with a picture with the front panel in engagement with the display surface in order to maintain the picture in substantially parallel position with respect to the display surface; g. a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures extending through one of said side panels; h. a first aperture extending through said transverse flap for facilitating grasping said flap and a second aperture locateD on said front panel for receiving display surface mounting means; and i. said blank being shiftable between a mounting position and a storage position, wherein in the mounting position the rear panels are substantially parallel to the front panel with the rear panels mounted to a picture and the front panel mounted to a picture support surface with a substantial portion of the front panel in frictional engagement with the support surface to facilitate retention of proper orientation of the mounted picture, the side panels being substantially perpendicular to the front panel and rear panel so as to facilitate proper spacing of the mounted picture from the support surface, the blank being shiftable to the collapsed storage position by moving the hinged side panels and front panel into a position where the side panels are substantially parallel with the rear panels and the front panel is immediately adjacent to the rear panels. 